Riviera Maya Events

The exotic jungle of the Mayan Riviera will pulse with the galloping of hooves, when the 6th Annual Copa del Rey International Polo Tournament takes place May 17 - June 3, 2012, at El Rey Polo Country Club in Puerto Morelos, less than 20 minutes from the Cancun International Airport.

Set amidst the lush jungle of the Mexican Caribbean, alive with spider monkeys and Toucans, the regulation polo field will bring six teams face-to-face at a multi-day competition. Ranked as a 4-6 goal event this year, the tournament will showcase players from the United States, Canada, Argentina, Germany, Switzerland, Australia, Ireland , and of course, Mexico where the sport has been played since 1880. The Tournament has quickly become one of the top annual social and sporting events of the Cancun-Riviera Maya region.

Since 2007, when the world-famous polo legend Carlos Gracida (Queen Elizabeth’s favorite) played in the inaugural Copa del Rey (El Rey Cup), the Tournament has brought the thrill of polo and an alluring equestrian lifestyle to a region already acclaimed for its beaches, water sports, resorts, and archeology.

With NEXTEL as the title sponsor this year other corporate patrons include Hard Rock Hotels, Mazda, Volaris Airlines, Argentine polo apparel maker Cuatro Tacos, In Riviera Magazine, Now Resorts, Scappino and E! Entertainment TV. The Copa del Rey is a multi-day festival of fashion shows, parties, and growing traditions, mixed with the adrenalin-charged game of Polo. Friday evening’s cocktail party sponsored by Hard Rock Hotel, will introduce the participating teams followed by a fashion show.

Blessed by Mayan priests, the Tournament opens with the soulful call of the conch shell. Dancing, music, and the ritual burning of sage, honor the field, players, horses, and spectators, during a colorful ceremony performed by local Maya.

The only regulation polo field in the Mexican Caribbean, El Rey is located on La Ruta de los Cenotes in Puerto Morelos, between Cancun and Playa del Carmen. Multiple airlines serving destinations around the world, offer nonstop and direct flights to nearby Cancun International Airport. Just one hour from the Club, are the ancient beachfront ruins of Tulum and the stunning Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Chichen Itza, one of the 7 Wonders of the Modern World, also an UNESCO World Heritage Site, is only two hours from El Rey.

The 6th Annual Copa del Rey International Polo Tournament is open to the public. Admission is free. Food and beverages will be available for purchase on site. For more information, please contact El Rey Polo Country Club at: 52 998 802 1609 or 52 998 185 4113.